ACAC competes in Senior Sectional Championships

The Atomic City Aquatics Club marched through the 2013 Long Course Southern Zone Senior Eastern Sectional Championships like Sherman through Georgia.

Chip Fischer/Special to The Oak Ridger

The Atomic City Aquatics Club marched through the 2013 Long Course Southern Zone Senior Eastern Sectional Championships like Sherman through Georgia.

The event, held in Athens, Ga., this year, displays the most talented swimmers in the entire Southeast. Kent Eldreth, Loki Hondorf, Luke Johnson, Jack O’Connor, Chandler Ott, Sam Schechter and Margaret Stansberry were the ACAC representatives who made the cut.

“This had to have been one of the greatest meets an ACAC Senior Group has ever had. These young men and women definitely earned the right to be called the best of the best,” said Coach Mike Bowman.

Twenty four of ACAC’s 36 swims were for best times. Kent Eldreth led the charge with 24th and 31st place finishes in finals. Loki Hondorf came home with 29th and 30th place finishes in finals. Chandler Ott and Margaret Stansberry swam times nearly identical to each other in the 200 IM, with each dropping about 4 seconds. Jack O’Connor and Sam Schechter tied for 43rd in the 50 Free, and Hondorf, Johnson, Ott and Stansberry also swam stellar 50 Free races.

Afterward, Coach Bowman was fired up. “This meet brings together some of the largest and most talented teams in the nation. For a team of our size to be represented by 7 swimmers at this advanced level is an impressive feat and a testament to this group of swimmers. This performance will inspire our entire team to continue to work hard, our coaches to continue to coach well, and ACAC to maintain a culture that builds champions. We expect big things in the years to come.”